This spectacular eggless black forest cake is sure to make on any occasion or celebration. The first thing you need to do before baking a cake is to prepare the baking tin and you will need two 8 inch baking pan that is buttered then lined with parchment paper. Start by bringing the dry ingredients together, in a large bowl, sift in all-purpose flour together with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, salt, and baking soda. Into the dry ingredients, you are going to be adding wet ingredients starting wit condensed milk, melted butter, water, and a tablespoon of vanilla extract.
You can prepare this batter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer and it will come out perfectly. Combine the ingredients until all the floured is moistened and there are no lumps, also do not overneat the batter because your cake will be less soft. To finish off the batter, add two tablespoons of hot water and this will help make the soft very soft, mix it all in. Divide ten batter between the two prepared cake tins and if you only have one pan, you can bake in the pan then slice the cake into two laters after baking.
In 300 degrees Fahrenheit oven, bake this cake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare some cherry syrup by adding cherries into a saucepan over medium heat then add sugar and water. Cook that while stirring until the cherries turn soft the allow the syrup to cool. Once the cakes are out of the oven, let them cool completely then start preparing the cream.
In a stand mixer, add cold whipping cream then beat it until it forms a soft peak. Strain the cherries and once the cakes are completely cooled, start icing them. Place one cake layer on a plate and using a skewer or a toothpick, make holes in the cake layer to help the cake absorb the syrup then pour some syrup over the cake and start spreading the cream over the cake.
Over the cream, add the reserved cherries then place the second layer on top and add the syrup on the second layer again and the cream. Cream the sides of the cake as well. For finishing, you will need some chocolate curls and to make chocolate curls, take a bar of chocolate and potato peeler then thinly slice the chocolate bar.
Cover the sides of the black forest cake with the chocolate curls then pipe the frosting on top of the cake like a flower and top each dollop with cherries and finish at the center with moire chocolate curls.
Ingredients;
For the chocolate cake;
- 200 gm (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
- 50 gm (1/4 cup) good quality cocoa powder
- 30 gm (4 tbsp) fine sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda/ sodium bicarbonate
- 1 tin/400gm sweetened condensed milk
- 150 gm (3/4th cup) butter melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
For the cherry syrup;
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) water
- 1 cup cherries
- 4 to 5 tbsp sugar
For the whipped cream;
- 2 to 3 cups whipping cream
- Sugar if required
- Chocolate shavings and fresh cherries for decoration
Instructions;
- Begin by greasing and lining the bases of two 8” round cake tins with greaseproof paper/baking parchment/butter paper. Alternately use a deep 9” or 10” round pan and then cut the cake into layers. If you have only one tin then, you can bake twice using the same cake batter.
- In a mixing bowl, assemble 200 gm (1 1/2 cups) flour, 50 gm (1/4 cup) cocoa powder, 30 gm (4 tbsp) sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp baking soda, mix with a spoon and sieve once to make the mixture uniform.
- Preheat the oven at about 150 c/300F.
- Add in the condensed milk, 150 gm melted butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, and 250 ml (1 cup) water to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric hand mixer, stand mixer, whisk or spoon just until the mixture is uniform and smooth and there are no lumps.
- This shouldn’t take more than a minute with an electric hand mixer/beater. Be careful not to overbeat as this tends to stiffen the batter which might lead to a less soft cake.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tins and bake for 25 to 30 or until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
- After the cakes are done, allow them to rest in their tins for 3 to 4 minutes and then invert them on to a cooling rack.
For the cherry syrup;
- When the cakes are baking, make the cherry syrup. In a small saucepan, you need to put in 175 ml (3/4th cup) water, 4 to 5 tbsp sugar, and 1 cup of pitted cherries. You have to heat this until the sugar dissolves and begins to boil.
- After the syrup boils for 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to cool. After it is cool, strain the cherries and reserve the syrup.
- While the cherry syrup cools, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
To assemble;
- Place one half of the cake over a serving plate. Put some cherry syrup all over it. Spread the whipped cream, leaving 1/4” space at the borders. Place the strained cherries over it.
- Carefully place the other half of the cake and moisten it with the cherry syrup. With the help of a palette knife level both the cakes, by pressing the knife over the sides, rotating the cake at the same time.
- Whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake and cover it over the sides as well. With the help of a cone and an icing nozzle place stars or rosettes on the edges of the cake. To make it prettier, place a cherry on the top of each design.
- With the help of a vegetable peeler, peel a bar of chocolate to get chocolate curls. Place some chocolate curls in the center of the cake. If the temperature is hot, then you can chill your chocolate and that will make it easier to shave off the chocolate. Place some mini chocolate curls on the sides of the cake as well.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours before slicing.